


Sunlight that surrounds you

by girlwithabird42



Series: Once more for the ages [27]
Category: Uncharted (Video Games)
Genre: Birthday, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-27
Updated: 2019-07-27
Packaged: 2020-07-21 08:47:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,880
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19999138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/girlwithabird42/pseuds/girlwithabird42
Summary: Elena's birthdays through the years, some better than others.





	Sunlight that surrounds you

Going out for drinks for her birthday isn’t quite as fun as it was in college. She gets hangovers more easily and has to get up the next day for work. It’s still a good time, but things tend to weigh a little heavier.

“I hate my boss,” Elena says, staring into her beer.

“Hon, we all hate our bosses,” Jane laughs.

“No, I really hate him. He doesn’t give a crap about my show and I’m probably going to get cancelled after this season. He keeps sending me the most ridiculous proposals. And I know it’s not important in the scheme of things, but I wanted the show to be at least a little interesting.”

“Sure, colonial architecture is interesting,” Liz says sarcastically.

Elena smacks her, “You’re such a dick.”

Liz and Jane snicker.

Once Liz collects herself, she nods, “But seriously, Daniel is The Worst and I don’t blame you if you want to quit. But if I were you, I’d stick it out a bit longer, just to prove him wrong.”

Elena sighs. “You’re right, it just sucks. We need to order onion rings.”

“Yes,” Jane chimes in enthusiastically.

Jane and Liz catch her up on their current projects at work; their own bosses little better than Daniel.

They’re several drinks in when Liz brings up the only subject more pathetic in Elena’s life than work, “How’s your dating life?”

Elena groans. When there’s even been time to go on dates between shoots, nothing’s gone past a second date. “Unfortunately, Daniel’s the only man in my life right now.”

That gets a round of boos from Liz and Jane.

“God that’s even lamer than dating men,” Liz says, taking a large swig.

Elena shrugs. “They’ve all been boring. Is it so wrong to want something a little more exciting?”

“Not really,” Jane says softly.

Liz nods in agreement. “Hey, maybe 2007 will be your year.” Sharing a glance with Jane, “And if every date you go on sucks, we’ll get you a nice vibrator for your next birthday.”

Jane bursts into giggles; Elena flushes but soon joins her in laughing.

Liz and Jane insist on paying over Elena’s protests and they hug goodbye in the parking lot.

“Love you.”

“Don’t mention it,” Liz says.

Elena sits in her car a moment before starting it. Maybe it _will_ be her year. She has a feeling.

\----------

Elena takes a deep breath before getting out of her car. She scans the parking lot for signs of her parents; they’re nowhere to be seen.

She walks in and up to the restaurant hostess, “Hi. Fisher, party of four? I’m the first one here.”

“Would you like to be seated or wait for the rest of your party?”

“Um, I’ll sit.” Elena licks her lips, “And, uh, we’re down to three, so you don’t need to put out the extra setting.”

She’s nervous and it must show because the hostess looks at her sympathetically. She’s alone at the table long enough to order a drink, but she spots her parents before it arrives.

“Hi mom, hi dad,” she gets up to hug them both in turn. She lingers on each embrace just a moment too long, wising her parents up.

“Happy birthday, sweet pea. Where’s Nate?” dad asks, noting the three settings.

“He sends his apologizes, something came up last minute.”

It’s kind of true and she doesn’t have the heart to explain, at least not tonight.

“On your birthday?” mom laments.

“That’s the way our work is sometimes. I’m heading back to Yemen in March, it all happens quick,” Elena says tersely, wishing they’d just drop it. Just because Nate walked out doesn’t mean she can’t have a nice visit with her parents.

The chorus of ‘I told you so’ from _everyone_ can wait, especially when Elena has no idea what she wants.

It’s bullshit. She wants her husband back, all of him. She thought he was ready for all of that.

She smiles when she unwraps the gift from her parents, a biography on Alice Blackwell. And gradually begins to enjoy her evening.

Her parents head back to the hotel after dinner; she’ll see them in the morning.

Elena doesn’t look at her phone until she gets back to the apartment. There’s half a dozen texts and a voicemail from Liz and Jane. Nothing from Nate.

He doesn’t really do Christmas, breaks out in hives at Thanksgiving, and tends to ignore his own birthday, so Elena can’t say she’s surprised by this. Still it hurts.

Climbing into bed, she’s not used to the extra space. It’s amazing how quickly she got used to sharing.

She rolls over to Nate’s side. She’s changed the sheets since he left, so it doesn’t really smell like him which just makes her miss him all the more.

Eventually, Elena falls asleep.

\----------

When Elena wakes up, she is alone in the bed. It’s barely light out, so why Nate’s already up eludes her. She doesn’t think much of it, throwing her head back down on the pillow. Her phone lights up, preventing her from falling back to sleep; another email from location scouts.

She’s deep in composing a response on her phone when the bedroom door opens, Cassie with a plate in hand, Nate following behind.

“Happy birthday, mom!” Cassie puts what looks like a whole tray of cupcakes in Elena’s lap.

“Oh wow. Thanks, Cassie,” Elena looks to Nate as she sits up.

“It was her idea,” he says sheepishly.

It’s a terrible idea and one Elena is completely game for. She hasn’t even picked out a cupcake when Cassie jumps up, “Wait! I have to go get your present!”

Elena picks up a cupcake that’s less uniform in its frosting. She smirks at Nate, “Gonna eat one of yours.”

“You don’t want to validate your daughter’s handiwork?” he says indignantly.

“Yeah, by not destroying it,” Elena says, taking a bite big enough to stuff her mouth. Nate rolls his eyes, but still leans over to kiss her frosting-smeared mouth, just as Cassie returns.

Elena trades the tray for a wrapped package, opening the gift while the other two eat their cupcakes. It’s a new camera bag.

“It’s, beautiful Cassie, thank you!”

“I picked it out myself,” Cassie says proudly.

“I love it,” Elena kisses them both. Realizing what time it is, “You’ve got to get moving, the bus will be here any minute.” She shoos Cassie out.

“Relax, I’ll drive her in. It’s your birthday and I’m already dressed,” Nate says. He catches her going for her phone as he leaves the room. “I’m serious. Take it easy.”

“Alright, alright,” Elena laughs.

Home alone, she turns the taps on the bathtub to near-scalding hot and sinks in to catch up on some books she’s been neglecting.

Vicky barks, heralding Nate’s return. “Elena?!”

“I’m in here!” she calls back.

“Good, that’s exactly what I was hoping for,” he says as he walks into the bathroom, stripping at an alarming speed.

“What happened to my relaxing time?” Elena feigns indignation.

“Yeah,” Nate says, as if that’s an answer, sloshing an enormous amount of water over the sides as he climbs in. He smirks entirely too eagerly; though Elena is no less so, yanking him toward her, losing even more water in the process.

After sex, Elena sits with her back to Nate’s chest, mesmerized by him tracing maps with her freckled skin.

“Now I actually have to take a shower,” she says. It’s not really a complaint, but it is Nate’s fault.

“Me too,” he murmurs into her hair.

“Did you ever finish your homework?” she cranes her neck slightly his direction.

“Ugh, no. I’m sorry, I’m fifty-two and I’ve never needed to know the different types of triangles once in my life. Higher education? Kind of a scam.”

Elena snorts. “You were just telling Cassie the other day she can’t date until she hands in her dissertation.”

“See, that was a trick – she’ll find out she doesn’t need to go to school, but then she’ll also never date.”

Elena rolls her eyes. As comfortable as she is, Nate needs his ass kicked. She climbs out of the tub and puts her hand out to him, “Go finish.”

Nate sighs but acquiesces. When Elena emerges from her shower, Nate’s pouring over his textbooks at the kitchen table. In his briefs.

“You’re such a tease,” she laughs.

“What? I’m supposed to get dressed to get undressed to get dressed again? Besides, you like it.”

“Mmm,” Elena purrs, grabbing her laptop from the couch and sitting at the table just so her feet rest in his lap.

“Yeah, now I’m really not gonna finish,” he says sarcastically.

But eventually they find their groove, quietly working and eating more of the cupcakes.

“This is terrible,” Elena says as she starts to unwrap a third. “I’m too old for this.”

“You don’t look a day over thirty,” Nate says, not looking up from his papers.

“Ass kisser.”

He looks up with a grin, “Oh, you wanna?” But he snaps the book shut and gets up to take his shower.

Elena sneaks a peek at his notebook. Nate jokes about the GED, but Elena knows it means a lot to him. It means a lot to her that he’s doing it for himself and Cassie. Even if he’s drawn little cartoon people crawling all over his geometry homework.

He eventually rejoins her and opens his laptop. They’re both deep in planning the show when Cassie runs in the front door. The afternoon turns into a quiet evening, which Elena’s thoroughly enjoying when a car comes up the drive.

“Why is Jackie here?” Elena asks Nate, watching their babysitter get out of her car. “Don’t tell me you made plans. I don’t feel like getting dressed up.”

“We’re just going down the street,” Nate assures her. “But hey, maybe _I_ wanted to dress up.”

Both Elena and Cassie burst into laughter.

“Can we get takeout?” Cassie asks as Nate tells Jackie how late they’ll be.

“There’s leftovers in the fridge.” Elena says. At least one person in the family shouldn’t eat junk today. Cassie pouts but doesn’t argue.

Elena’s lived here for almost eight years and she still isn’t quite used to walking down the street in January like it’s the middle of summer.

“Just think, if we were at my parents’ we could be bundled up in sweaters next to a fire,” Elena sighs, resting her head against Nate’s arm.

“Those have been some nice birthdays,” he agrees.

Their bar is packed, even for a weekday, but they get their usual table with their usual orders. Elena’s completely content with the evening when Nate grabs her hand as the music picks up, wrapping his arm around her waist.

“When was the last time we danced?” Elena giggles, a little winded.

“The wedding, right?”

“It’s been a few years.”

“Yeah, it has.”

To be fair, they’re more swaying than dancing, but Elena loves it.

She stands on her toes for a quick peck. “Hey thanks. For the perfect birthday.”

Nate grins, “I guess I have to really start planning for next year if I have to beat perfect. Hear it’s gonna be a big one.”

Elena laughs. “Bring it on, fifty.”

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [robotwitch](https://archiveofourown.org/users/robotwitch/pseuds/robotwitch)'s birthday, 2019.


End file.
